2008 NHRA FINALS - EVENT NOTEBOOK
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SUNDAY NOTEBOOK - THE THRILL OF VICTORY AND THE AGONY OF DEFEAT ON THE LAST DAY OF THE SEASON
THE INTANGIBLES - Chris Rivas did everything in his power to win a Pro Stock Motorcycle championship, it’s just the things he 
couldn’t control is what got him.
Essentially his championship hopes were toast in the semi-finals once Eddie Krawiec defeated teammate Andrew Hines in a controversial race.
Rivas won his fourth event of 2008, third during the Countdown to the Championship. The victory also marked his second consecutive defeat by newly christened champion Krawiec who won the title without the luxury of winning a national event.
Rivas finished second in the championship points, five points back of Krawiec.
“We all know there were teams out here and when the two Harley-Davidson bikes met in the semi-finals, we knew it was over,” Rivas admitted. “I don’t feel bad about that at all because Eddie and Andrew are two great riders. He’s going to be a great champion and I even congratulated him when I knew he’d clinched the title.”
Krawiec defeated Hines in a race where the latter went .007 on the tree to the former’s .361. Prior to the 60-foot clocks, Hines’ bike slowed considerably.
“I don’t have any animosity towards that situation. I did what I was supposed to do and however it played out was how it played out. I did what I needed to do by taking out the reigning world champion and kept him from getting the No. 2 spot. I really felt fantastic about that because I felt really good about that.
“We lacked something in qualifying and that could have fixed the whole scenario.”
The G2 team has struggled at times and at other has been nothing short of dominant.
On Saturday, the team had determined their problem to be one of electrical nature, and with that said borrowed the complete wiring harness from fellow Buell racer Valerie Thompson. He won Dallas after changing out his electrical system in a similar nature.
Rivas and the G2 team have managed to pinpoint problems at the most opportune times. Outside of that, other tangibles of success have come into play for Rivas that he just can’t grasp.
“I’m not sure what the key to our success during the Countdown was but we did have a few races we stumbled in before,” Rivas said. “I felt a lot of pressure in the early going because the team was so great. Last year they had done so well, and qualified and went to the final and the rider let them down. I just didn’t want to do that.”
Rivas believes he put undue stress on himself entering the season largely due to not wanting to repeat what had happened in 2007 to G2 Motorsports where they lost the championship on the last run of the season.
“I got to a point where I said, it is what it is and just tried to do the best I could,” Rivas admitted. “I just didn’t want to do anything different to try and prove myself. There was no reason to do that. There were already a score of people who believed in the talents I had been given.
“I just felt that wherever things were going to fall out, they’d fall out. I went into the Countdown with that mentality. I’m a man of faith and I made my mind up that I was going to let God know I would accept whatever he had for me. I knew I would just do the best of my ability with the talents he’s given me.”
Rivas believed the low elapsed time 6.929-second run was a miracle because he had no clue where the tremendous performance came from.
“I knew headed into the Countdown that I wasn’t going to count points or do anything to manipulate the points,” Rivas added. “I was just going to be there and do my job.”
NOW THAT’S A FIRE – Never mind the towering inferno blazing behind his cockpit, Larry Dixon won his second Top Fuel event 
in five final rounds. He couldn’t wait to get out of the car, not to avoid the danger, but to throw his hands in elation.
Yes, it’s been that kind of season.
“While everyone was getting excited about the final round and everything I’m trying to put my fire suit out because my shit was on fire,” Dixon said, cracking a smile when discussing his victory over Hot Rod Fuller. “The guys on the rescue team we’re telling me to stop running and I was like I will once I get to the hose. It burned the chutes off of it and everything. We left it all out there on the track. The car nosed over really bad on the other end and I was just like it’s going to blow up and I’m not at the finish line yet so I saw the win light come on and my car blew up. But that’s all I cared about.”
The NHRA AAA Finals in Pomona, Ca., represented Dixon’s 43rd national event win of his career and second of the 2008 season.
“We went up there in the final round and they hopped it up and we certainly needed it because Hot Rod had been cutting good lights all day,” Dixon admitted. “Their car was running real well. The way it blew up, we obviously left everything out there on the track.”
This weekend’s final round was special for Dixon, who hadn’t been in the finals of the season-ending event since his rookie season of 1995 when he lost to the late Blaine Johnson.
“Just being able to win, I think helps out the team’s morale,” Dixon said of winning the final event and pulling into second place in championship points. “Finishing second, I hate finishing second. But as far as the bonus money that gets passed around to the guys on the team, the difference between fourth or fifth place up to second place; that’s monumental, the difference. The guys and I were racing to finish second today and I’m just happy for them.”
Even Don Prudhomme was animated, pumped up and doling out high fives for anyone within arm’s reach.
“When you take those fifteen events out of the mix, that’s only nine for the rest of us,” Dixon added. “So winning two out of nine -- is just huge. If he was that animated then he knows how hard it was just to win two events this season.”
Of course, in the midst of the press conference came the perennial, “What are you doing next season inquiry.”
“Who cares? Are you serious? Let me enjoy the moment,” Dixon said.
NO BACKING IN – Cruz Pedregon made sure he didn’t back into his second career NHRA Funny Car world championship. 
Instead, he flung the door open and drove his way into the winner’s circle.
Pedregon, who assumed the NHRA POWERade points lead following his victory at the NHRA ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals, scored his 25th career national event victory which was very reminiscent of his 1992 championship season. That title was procured when he put together a string of five straight victories.
Winning a championship can be a draining experience. At the end of the day that began with a four way championship battle, Pedregon was understandably worn out.
“I’m emotionless and worn out kind of, beyond happy, and beyond excited,” Pedregon said, in a post-race press conference. “I couldn’t believe it when I was down there watching the monitor of Tony against Robert Hight; I couldn’t even believe my eyes because I really didn’t want that let down. I grabbed all of my crew [earlier in the day] and told them win, lose or draw that the championship has come down to one race and I was prepared mentally to be let down. I didn’t have a good feeling about today because of qualifying.”
Pedregon struggled in qualifying and only during the final day of qualifying did he earn a berth in the final qualified field.
That’s why he never would have believed a title would have been clinched after the first round of competition when his closest rivals were eliminated.
“No way did I ever think the championship was going to be clinched,” Pedregon said. “I’m going to really give a lot of credit to Tim Wilkerson you guys will see at the banquet tomorrow. He exceeded my expectations I had no clue that guy had that many wins in him in the heat of the summer.
“Sure the Giants didn’t feel bad for the Patriots when they beat them last year.”
A sixteen year drought will humble a man as Pedregon has discovered.
“I’ve been humbled big time, eating a lot of crow makes you very humble,” Pedregon admitted. “I had to learn how to be a good owner, like I said if I could get the sponsorship then I’m good – boy was I mistaken there. It takes a lot more than money, money is tremendously hard to do the other part is getting the team and being able to hire the right guys and do things the right way. I had a vision and when I teamed up with Tony,
“I felt like that would give us an advantage to go up against the Forces and the Schumachers. I don’t think it’s worked out too bad for us and four championships. That just really means a lot to us.”
THE GRACIOUS RUNNER-UP – You can call Pomona Greg Anderson’s home away from home. For the fourth time in his career, 
the three-time NHRA Pro Stock champion won both the opening and season-ending events at the Pomona Fairplex.
Some were just easier than others. He defeated Kurt Johnson in the final round.
“It was for second place in the points but first place for the day,” said Anderson, who had mortally wounded an engine during qualifying. “Second isn’t so bad and we’ll have to settle for that.
“We had a few hiccups along the way and I have nobody to blame but myself for losing the championship. My hat’s off to Jeg Coughlin because he did a better job during the Countdown than I did.”
Anderson entered the playoff phase of the Countdown as the top ranked driver.
“I probably just tried to hard this season,” Anderson said. “I might have put a bit too much pressure on myself. You just try to have fun and today I was relaxed. I came out and have fun; the end result was a win.”
Anderson’s victory represented the 57th of his career, tying him eight on the all-time wins list with former Top Fuel racer Joe Amato.
This victory is bittersweet considering the vague future that exists for the GM-backed, factory Pro Stock teams.
“I wish I had an answer for that,” Anderson answered, when asked how much he felt the GM landscape might change in 2009. “We have our fingers crossed. We really need GM, Dodge and Ford out here. They drive our economy and Pro Stock is based on factory support. We don’t know what is happening but they are trying to get everything lined up.
“Honestly, it doesn’t look great, but we are hoping. They are looking for a last minute Hail Mary to stay in the sport. I hope they do because I wouldn’t have championships without them. Whether they race or not, I am still going to race a Pontiac. They have been with me all the way through my career and I’m not changing.”
FINALLY – Hot Rod Fuller finally got his one last shot at Schumacher and Alan Johnson before they split.
“We might not be rivals, but he’s got what I want,” Fuller said. “I really wanted to get those guys before they split up. A lot of people don’t understand that I am splitting with my crew chief too.”
Fuller beat Schumacher on a hole shot in the second round marking the first time in 12 races that the U.S. Army team had failed to reach the final round.
Schumacher posted a quicker 3.853-second pass to Fuller’s 3.862-second run, but the latter was just a bit faster off the starting line and thus got to the finish line first.
“It was a terrific race,” said Schumacher. “You have to give credit where credit is due – Rod and his team got the job done today. The fans got their money’s worth, that’s for sure.”
Fuller’s victory ended Schumacher’s 2008 season leaving him tied with Greg Anderson for the single season victory record (15) and single season round win record (76).
“There’s no doubt we would have preferred to set those records, but we had one hell of a year just the same,” added the now six-time world champ. “This season will be talked about for a long time by a lot of people.”
DIVING REPORT; OR LACK THEREOF – Don Schumacher Racing provided an example of why racing straight-up can sometimes be costly.
When Ron Capps defeated Jack Beckman in the semis at Pomona, the end result was the latter ended up third in the Funny Car points costing the team owner $50,000.
HELP A BROTHER OUT – Cruz Pedregon scored his second career world championship with a bit of help from younger brother Tony Pedregon. The outgoing world champion ensured the championship would remain in the family as he defeated Robert Hight, the final driver with a mathematical chance of winning the title.
“I didn’t win but I feel like I did because we are a close family,” Tony said. “We grew up down the street from here in Chino, Ca., and Cruz and I worked hard to get here and partnered with a lot of good companies. This feels good.”
AN EXPENSIVE RED-LIGHT – Tim Wilkerson admits his first round foul against John Force was the most expensive red-light loss he’s ever endured in his career. The driver of the Levi, Ray & Shoup Chevrolet Monte Carlo forfeited the opportunity to contend for $500,000.
He sure could have used that check to cover some of the expense incurred with fending off the heavier financed/sponsored teams throughout the season.
“I just got in too deep,” Wilkerson said of his first and only red-light of 2008. “I had good lights in qualifying, but I just got it in too deep. Both of us were amped up on the starting line.”
Two-thousandths of a second separated them – in the red-light. Wilkerson drifted deeper into the negative.
It was hard to judge who lamented the loss more -- Wilkerson or his legion of fans?
Even the media, who had embraced the proverbial little guy story from the time he won the NHRA Summit Las Vegas Nationals in April, didn’t know what to ask of their favorite 2008 story line.
Wilkerson waited for the first question and it never came.
“I know what you mean, I don’t know what to say, either,” Wilkerson stated.
The last time Wilkerson fouled was the 2004 NHRA Fallnationals in Dallas.
“I think I had a lot of partners today, I just wasn’t lucky enough to race them,” Wilkerson added, speaking of the multi-car teams he battled all year long.
Wilkerson scored six national event victories in seven 2008 finals and led the point standings for most of the season. Next season brings a change of scenery for Wilkerson as he will forgo his association with General Motors in order to drive a Ford Mustang as a teammate to Bob Tasca III.
“It’s been a terrific year for my team of young guys and they always gave me a good car to race,” Wilkerson admitted. “That took the wind out of our sails, but you can’t dwell on that. It’s been a good year but even though the rods were still in the motor when the race was over, it was more expensive than any blow up I’d ever had.”
In the end, Wilkerson conceded the championship to Cruz Pedregon, who took away the championship lead from him one race earlier.
“Congratulations to Cruz and those guys, they earned it,” Wilkerson added. “He did a better job in the playoffs than I did.”
THE PROVERBIAL MONKEY WRENCH – John Force has been an advocate for Wilkerson all season long but in the end the fourteen-time champion made Cruz Pedregon his beneficiary.
Force scored victory when Pedregon fouled.
“Nobody loves Tim Wilkerson more than I do,” Force said. “He knows I love him but at the end of the day, I know Wilkerson won the championship in the middle of the season. I don’t know what to tell you with this points championship. It is what it is.”
BETTER THAN EXPECTED – Even in losing, Robert Hight knows he’s a fortunate one.
“I’ve been here on the last day of the championship for the last four seasons, and we’ve been down to the wire on each,” Hight said, following his tough loss to defending champion Tony Pedregon. “We’ll start preparing for 2009 next week. We’re going to get this championship because we are too good of a team not to get it.”
Hight won three NHRA events in 2008, after reaching six final rounds including the season-opener in Pomona, Ca.
“This drag racing, to be competitive at it and to win, you have to live it every day like John Force,” Hight explained. “You do everything you can to make your car better and yourself better as a driver. You get down to the wire and your hopes are so high.
“Normally, I’m not looking forward to the off-season. When I had championships on my mind, I used to think about how good it would be to take the time off. Now that my chances are gone, I can’t wait to start again and get back out here to try and get on top again. I want to put John Force Racing on top again.”
The difference between this off-season and last will be the level of responsibilities on the shoulders of Hight and his team.
“We don’t have to redesign cars like we did last year for safety,” Hight explained. “We still have a lot of things we are working on for safety, though. The difference is we can now work on making our cars a little more consistent. We will be able to do what it takes to develop a safer and consistent car to race in 2009. Our goal has always been to return to domination like John Force did in the 1990s. That’s not easy with the cars we have out here.
“We’re going to get this thing I promise.”
SAY WHAT? – Pro Stock veteran Warren Johnson made comments disparaging of the NHRA’s management when asked of his plans in 2009.
“I don’t know given the NHRA’s leadership or lack thereof,” Johnson said, as the microphone went dead silent, seemingly in mid-sentence.
Various members requested Johnson’s presence in the media center to expound on his comments.
His media relations staff politely declined the interview requests.
“We feel there is no benefit in having Warren Johnson further expand upon comments made on the public address system following his second round loss at today’s Auto Club of Southern California Finals,” the prepared statement read. “Therefore, we must politely decline the request to bring him to the press room at this time. We ask that you kindly honor this request and suggest you focus on today’s winners and champions, as they are the ones who truly deserve the attention.”
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SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - SLOWING THE CARS DOWN EQUALLY? SCELZI'S LAST DANCE AND THOSE WOMEN DRIVERS
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION – The NHRA announced intentions on Friday of working towards slowing their nitro cars down for a safe return to quarter-mile drag racing but until then 1,000-foot drag racing will remain.
Input towards a solution seems to be an exclusive club, a few of the lesser financed teams told CompetitionPlus.com on Saturday. They contend the NHRA has turned to crew chiefs who are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to make cars go fast to slow the cars down.
Defending NHRA Funny Car world champion Tony Pedregon believes the sanctioning body and PRO, by limiting their options, seriously opens the door for agendas and slows the process of reaching a viable solution.
“It’s a shame that we have to be forward and vocal,” Pedregon said; who reportedly became engaged in a debate over the issue in a recent PRO meeting. “That’s the only way to get anyone to listen. We’ve got a lot of respect for Alan Johnson and John Force’s teams -- these are the biggest teams out here.
Pedregon must interject a “but” into the scenario.
“I think to maintain a certain degree of balance, the input of people like Jim Dunn, Bill Miller and David Powers, these are all guys who own teams and have a vested interest, need to be heard,” Pedregon continued. “We all have the same challenges.
“What we can’t allow is those teams who do have funding to do what benefits them. We’re better with PRO than without it, and Ray Alley has been receptive to some of our ideas to maintain that balance and that’s something that hasn’t always existed. They haven’t always been as interested in our input as they have that from others. It can’t be something that works well for only one team or a few.”
Tim Wilkerson agrees that agendas are going to be part of the equation. He doesn’t envy the position the NHRA holds in determining who to draw input from.
“The problem with the input from multiple people is you get multiple agendas,” Wilkerson said. “Not that that is necessarily bad but you have to feel for the NHRA because they have the dubious task of trying to keep teams, entertain fans, control costs and survive themselves. I wouldn’t want to be in their position to have to do this so I think the way they are going about it; they are being really philosophical about it. They are going to talk to Alan Johnson; I think everyone has to agree that he is if not the best then one of the best crew chiefs in the sport. Is that completely fair to the smaller teams? Probably not -- but in the scheme of things trying to figure out how to make it happen without all of the political issues in the world, I think you are better off dealing with one guy or maybe going outside to one of the older guys like Dick LaHaie or Dale Armstrong. Find somebody that is not involved like Don Garlits. It’s hard to go to [John Force tuner, Austin] Coil, it’s hard to go to Alan Johnson, i
t’s hard to come to me because deep in our minds we’re thinking costs.
“Dickie [Venables] and [Rahn] Tobler are maybe thinking something else, I don’t know. Anything I would come up with would be removing things from the car and not adding things to the car, making it harder to police and harder to adjust to. If anything, some of the other guys may come up with the very opposite of that.”
Another crew chief on a prominent fuel team, couldn’t speak outside of anonymity due to political reasons, believes the NHRA is just going through the motions of trying to slow the cars down but has no real plans of returning to quarter-mile competition.
The 1,000-foot option provides a better economic option for the teams and the sanctioning body, he added.
Pedregon has been vocal since day one of 1,000-foot racing about his dislike of anything but quarter-mile racing and feels that little is being done to bring back the tradition at this time. He’s of the mindset that listening to ideas outside of the traditional inner circle could generate more progress in that direction.
“There are a lot of good ideas on the table,” Pedregon added. “There some compression ideas, but some of these ideas could be costly to some teams who have inventory. I also see some pretty good ideas from guys like Jim Dunn and some others that would work. I haven’t seen it tested yet.
“It’s not our fault. I just think they could have moved on some of these things a little sooner. If it gets done, if our team is called on to test we will go and test. We want to look at ways to make what we have work; and slow these cars down so we can go back to quarter-mile.
“It doesn’t matter how far we race whether it is 660 or 1320 feet, we need to do something to keep these cars from blowing up and protect our drivers.”
Pedregon believes the economics of a troubled economy should have played into some of the decisions. He’s of the mindset the shortened racing surface hasn’t achieved a lot.
“We haven’t really achieved a lot because at some time these cars are going to run even faster,” Pedregon said. “My argument is that they are still blowing up. You look at the marathon cleanup session in Las Vegas and the race before that. We have to really ask ourselves if we’ve achieved what we really wanted to do by trying minimize some of the engine explosions.
“I argued that 1,000 feet really doesn’t fix anything. If it related to saving money and parts, shoot I’d love to run 300 feet. At some point they have to stop talking about all they want to do and start testing. I’ve offered to test and there hasn’t been any follow up and there have been a couple of opportunities that we could have tried something. I’d like to see the NHRA move on it a little more swiftly than they have.”
“We can’t just do one thing,” Pedregon said of making changes. “That’s why I wasn’t for 1,000 feet. That didn’t fix anything. I knew it then and we’ve proven that other than there hasn’t been a major catastrophe. Three hundred and twenty feet goes by in less than a second if you’re zinging along at a couple hundred miles per hour. I do know that.”
JEGGIE WINS A FOURTH - "Big Daddy" Don Garlits didn't do it. Neither did Shirley Muldowney.
By qualifying for this weekend's 44th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals Saturday afternoon, 38-year-old Jeg Coughlin Jr. did something two of his drag racing idols never accomplished -- he won a fourth world championship in an NHRA professional category.
Streaking through NHRA's '08 playoffs with an exceptionally strong effort that produced a victory, two runner-up finishes, a semifinal ending, and a quarterfinal result, Coughlin arrived at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona needing only to make the 16-car field to clinch the 2008 title. He's now won four Pro Stock championships since the start of the new millennium (2000, '02, '07, and '08) to go with his 1992 Super Gas world title.
"This is an extremely sweet moment for me," Coughlin said. "It's a new generation with the Countdown to 1 and we've been fortunate enough to win both championships under this format. It's a real testament to the caliber of this team and its ability to rise to the occasion when the pressure is at its highest. These guys are stout.
"I've been guilty of not enjoying these moments along the way. I've always been so focused on the next race, the next trophy to win, the next title to work towards, that I don't stop and take in what's happening around me. But in the last few years I've spent a lot more time looking back at the photos of my family and the trophies we've earned together and really cherishing enjoying those memories. I will definitely enjoy this one."
The key to this championship was consistency. Coughlin led the POWERade points on two occasions earlier this season and ascended back to the No. 1 spot for good in the second playoff event in Dallas. On the other end of the equation, he never dipped below fourth place, always keeping himself in the championship mix.
"The level of competition is insane, starting in our pit with my teammate Dave Connolly," Coughlin said. "Then you have the two KB Racing cars, Warren and Kurt Johnson, Larry Morgan and all his customers, Allen Johnson, and on and on, they're all such worthy opponents. They keep you motivated to work that much harder."
Heading into the final race day of the year, Coughlin already has won three races and secured five runner-up, five semifinal, six quarterfinal, and three first-round results. His won-loss record in eliminations is 43-19, the best in the Pro Stock class.
By winning his fourth professional-level championship, Coughlin is now in a tie for eighth on the all-time list alongside Don "the Snake" Prudhomme, Gary Scelzi, and Lee Shepherd. In Pro Stock, he now trails only Bob Glidden (10 titles) and Warren Johnson (six titles).
"My pop (Jeg Sr.) has been a big part of this title," Coughlin said. "He's was with us via the Internet for most of the year and came out in person for the Countdown races. He and Roy Simmons, our crew chief, work so well together. Our team owner, Victor Cagnazzi, has given us the best of the best, including all of the people he's hired throughout the organization. They all share in this championship.
"This makes me think of 1990 when I first started racing and I won the Bud Spring Nationals in Super Gas at my hometown track in Columbus, Ohio. It was the first time I really got to feel what it was like to be an NHRA champion. To stand here now all these years later and see where my career has gone and what my family has been able to accomplish is just outstanding. I know I'm the luckiest guy in the world."
WHO ME? GENTLE? - Brian Corradi’s psyche rarely reeks of sensitivity. That’s not to say the Cleveland, Ohio-based tuner has 
no compassion, because he’s an honorable man who would provide the shirt off his back.
But, he’s as tough as they come and has proven to be one of the more talented crew chiefs in the nitro pits. His credentials include a U.S. Nationals victory and a handful of world records.
He’s been there done that, in more than a handful of situations, but 2008 provided a new and unique challenge.
Corradi had simply never tuned a female driver before this year. He learned quickly to change his approach when dealing with the driver.
No, he’s not a sexist – he just felt an extra measure of protectiveness.
“It made me feel like it was my little sister in the driver’s seat so I didn’t want anything to happen to her,” Corradi admitted. “I felt I had to be extra careful because I didn’t want to hurt her, not that I ever want to hurt anybody.”
Corradi admits he knew Troxel was more than capable of driving the Funny Car and her exploits haven proven that in 2008. Still, he imposed upon himself the mindset to take a different approach with a driver of the opposite gender.
Case in point, he learned early the power of controlling his tongue.
“If it was my little brother I’d just tell him to get in the car and not %^&* anything up,” Corradi admitted, smiling. “With Melanie it’s like we’ll get you down there safely we don’t want anything to happen to you, you don’t have to be afraid.”
Troxel has definitely been anything but afraid in her transition from the relatively smooth experience of Top Fuel dragster to the volatile Nitro Funny Car world.
She responded by becoming the first female driver to become a winner in both nitro categories and scored the first female No. 1 qualifying effort in Funny Car.
Corradi is extremely proud of how Troxel has adapted to driving a breed of race car once believed to be too intimidating for a female driver. He smiles when he points out how she’s met this challenge head on.
“Melanie has come a long way as a driver since we first put her in a car back at Vegas,” Corradi said. “When I send her out there to make a run she does a real good job and I can loosen up a little bit. When I go out there to send her 330 miles an hour down the track I don’t really have to worry. I have 100% confidence that she will get the job done.”
In other words, when Corradi puts the “really nasty, hold on to the wheel” tune-up in the R2B2 Motorsports Dodge Charger, he has no problem telling her to clench the wheel a bit tighter than usual.
“I’ll tell her ‘This is what it’s going to do,” Corradi said. “She has it handled. I have a lot of confidence in the car and also her as a driver.”
Then Corradi smiles as he turns his wrench.
THE NON-RETIREMENT RETIREMENT - Gary Scelzi understands the reality that he could be walking away from his final 
opportunity to drive a championship contending nitro car, once the Pomona weekend ends.
Scelzi’s not retiring, just stepping away while the time is right, to tend to other business. He’ll come back if the perfect opportunity presents itself, but with the current state of the drag racing economy he knows those chances are getting slimmer with each lost drag racing sponsorship.
“My wife and I talked the other day and there are basically, probably only two people that I could drive for,” Scelzi said. “That would be Connie Kalitta or Jim Head. Of all the people out here these are the ones that I could drive for and have a good time. If I do make a return, you might see me in Jim Head’s car at the Winternationals if he decides not to run it. I doubt that but it is a possibility.”
Scelzi is adamant he won’t race 24 races next season, or any season for that matter.
He won’t walk away empty handed considering he’s earned four world championships (3 Top Fuel, 1 Funny Car) and 37 national event titles in 58 final rounds. Since 1997, he’s competed in 258 races.
“It would have to be something major to make me change my mind,” Scelzi admitted.
Bear in mind that Scelzi once said he’d never drive for Don Schumacher and has done so since 2003, winning a championship in 2004. Scelzi made the statement during the years he drove a Top Fuel dragster for Alan Johnson, then bitter rivals with DSR.
Clearly he’s learned to never say never.
Scelzi knows that replacing the adrenaline of driving a fuel car is going to be tough.
“There’s nothing on this planet that can replace the g-forces you feel and the adrenaline you feel with these fuel cars,” Scelzi said. “There’s nothing on this planet. I’ll have fun with my little midget car on occasions. But I’m 48 years old; I’m not going to learn a new trick. It’s time for me to let my kids have some fun, go to their baseball games and let them have some fun. There’s only so much of that that you are able to do but there is a lot of that. I mean there is baseball, football, racing, the business; here in the future I either want to build or buy a new house. There are a lot of things I want to do, I’m going to keep in touch with the racers.
“It’s not like someone has given me two weeks to live and I have to get my affairs in order, at least no one has given me that message yet. I have a lot of things to look forward to; it’s a new chapter in my life.”
Closing this chapter is proving tough for Scelzi, who began cleaning out his locker on Friday.
“It’s a different feeling, I do this every year but I always leave some stuff in there because obviously I’m going to start testing in January and then we’re back rolling again but that’s not going to be the case,” Scelzi said. “It’s a little bit of an empty feeling, which I knew that there would be something like that but I guess I don’t know what it’s really going to be like on Sunday night.”
Scelzi can’t fully walk away; the experience has been a part of his life for too long.
“This has been a part of my life for a while, on the NHRA side since 1984,” Scelzi said. “I know when testing comes around that I’m going to be itching. Kenny Bernstein gave me words of advice he said, ‘Don’t come back, don’t get National DRAGSTER, and don’t do anything to watch because you’re going to miss it.’ I don’t think I’m going to take his advice.”
MR. BROOKS - Aaron Brooks knows what a human version of a steam locomotive feels like. The up-and-coming tuner, named as the new crew chief for the forthcoming Al-Anabi/Alan Johnson Racing Funny Car in 2009, has been extremely busy in the past few weeks preparing for his new venture.
“The parts are all rolled in; the cars are coming next week,” Brooks added. “The bodies are starting to show up; we’ve been full steam ahead for a couple of weeks now.”
Brooks confirmed new driver Del Worsham will field a slightly redesigned 2009 Toyota Solara body mounted on chassis fabricated in Worsham’s in-house chassis shop.
The challenge of starting from scratch is nothing new for Brooks, who came to the Al-Anabi/Alan Johnson Racing group from the R2B2 Motorsports team which ran under the Gotham City Racing banner at the start of 2008. He left Don Schumacher Racing to start up a second car for Gotham City Racing.
“It’s like we started a year ago except we got a two month head start,” Brooks admitted. “So it’s a lot of work but it feels like we did it just yesterday. It didn’t take much to remember all the things we have to do; so it’s going pretty smooth.”
PICKED A FINE TIME TO LEAVE ME –Jerry Toliver went on a wild ride during Saturday’s first qualifying session. The left rear 
tire sheared off the mounting studs, sending the tire down the track in the opposite lane as Toliver slid the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge to a stop just past the finish line.
Toliver expertly kept his race car off the retaining wall and was unhurt in the incident. “The car left the starting line fine and was trucking down the track when it let go around the 330-foot mark. All of a sudden it just got hard to steer and it felt like the front end was up in the air a little bit. I turned it left and the car went right and I went right and it went left and I thought ‘we’ve got an issue here.’ Then I realized the rear of the car had dropped down and it was dragging the oil pan.
“I just tried to keep it in the middle of the race track and keep it off the wall and not hurt it worse than it already is. That’s why these cars need experienced drivers because things happen and when they do you’ve got to be ready to react to them.”
FIRE REMINDER - The wildfires blanketed Pomona's skyline with smoke throughout much of Saturday's qualifying.
BIG NUMBER FOR MTS - The popular Mail from Home program instituted by Mail Terminal Services in 2007 as part of the 
company's support of the Vavoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Jack Beckman reached 100,000 cards as of this weekend, surpassing last year's 90,000 mark.
The Mail from Home program allows fans and competitors an opportunity to sign unique cards in the Don Schumacher Racing hospitality area and at a kiosk within the U.S. Army Racing Zone at NHRA national events with messages to the U.S. troops overseas, which are then distributed free to war-zone camps by MTS.
To help exceed last year's total, Mail Terminal Services held a competition among its 17 terminals around the U.S. to collect the highest number of cards. The Minneapolis terminal was determined the winner after the Richmond, Va., NHRA event and received the privilege of sending two representatives to the 2008 Las Vegas event for a four-day working vacation on MTS. They manned the U.S. Army kiosk and watched the races, and were treated to a stay at a casino hotel and a show.
"As far as reaching our goal, MTS has been very, very successful in all of the races in beating last year's records on cards," said Rodger Comstock, president and CEO of Mail Terminal Services. "At the last race in Vegas we had the team from our Minneapolis terminal at the event. In Brainerd this year, the Minneapolis terminal had the highest card count for a single day of 2000 and exceeded 5000 for a weekend.
"This weekend in Pomona, we have the manager and his wife from our military terminal in Newark, N.J. That is the terminal that not only collects the cards during the year but actually sends them overseas. Each of our terminals has been higher in its productivity in producing the cards, but, looking at the overall picture and the support that the U.S. Army has given us in their kiosk and allowing us to have cards filled out there, along with the Schumacher hospitality area, has really pushed us over the top to set that record.
"We owe a debt of appreciation to the Army, to the whole U.S. Army race team, its sports marketing agency Momentum, and also to all of the MTS people who have worked so hard this year. It's a tribute to all of the 1200 employees around the country who have been very successful at collecting the cards."
"We at Don Schumacher Racing are privileged to be a part of this wonderful program that Mail Terminal Services has introduced to our team and NHRA," said team owner Don Schumacher. "We heartily support MTS's efforts in this extremely rewarding endeavor."
Mail Terminal Services is a business-to-business mail sorting and forwarding company, which has strategic partnerships with the U.S. Postal Service and Globalmail. Led by president and CEO Rodger Comstock, MTS is headquartered in Weston, Fla., and operates 17 terminals throughout the United States.
WELCOME BACK - Following three months of recuperation from a freak accident at Maple Grove Raceway in August, Don Schumacher Racing crew member Michael Knudsen is back working with driver Gary Scelzi and his Mopar/Oakley Dodge Funny Car teammates at this weekend’s NHRA Finals.
Knudsen returned to the race track for the first time since suffering second- and third-degree burns when several propane tanks used for a portable concession stand were knocked over and a gas line ruptured. Knudsen reached to turn off a valve on one of the tanks when a pilot light on a gas grill is believed to have ignited the propane escaping from the ruptured line.
“It’s been really tough to watch the races on television and not be there with the crew guys and helping out,” said Knudsen, who was working as a clutch technician on Gary Scelzi’s Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car at the time of the incident. “I’m really glad to be back and hopefully we can get a win for Gary in his last race.”
Rehabilitation went well for the 28-year-old Fisher, Ind., resident. “Things went slow at first,” he said. “I spent 13 days in the hospital and I had to learn how to stand and walk again and that was tough at first. Most of my therapy consisted of working on the treadmill and the stair climber and using resistance bands to work my muscles back up. It took a full month to get my range of motion back and as soon as I had that then I developed a normal therapy routine that lasts a couple hours a day.
“Things are much better now. I’m a little tight in the mornings but I get up and stretch and I wear compression garments every day, and Ill be wearing those for the next six months. There’s not really a whole lot of pain unless I’m standing for a long period, but if I’m walking around, the blood is flowing and I’m doing OK. Every day gets a little better.”
After working at the DSR shop in Brownsburg, Ind., for the past five weeks, Knudsen was elated to be at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series finale. “I love being back out here again. I have a dream job and I love coming to work every day. These guys are like family and some of them are my best friends. It’s great just to be back out here with them.
"I am looking forward to a few months' more of therapy before I return full-time on the NHRA circuit with DSR in 2009."
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FRIDAY NOTEBOOK - 1,000 FOOT REMAINS, TROXEL LEAPS TO THE TOP AND VANDERGRIFF PREPARES FOR LEAN 2009
1000-FEET BACK IN 2009 - NHRA will start the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Season with the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories continuing to race to 1,000 feet. All other professional and sportsman classes will remain at 1,320 feet.
Over the next several months, NHRA will test various engine combinations following up on the analysis it has conducted to reduce power in the two nitromethane categories.
Upon the conclusion of the engine combination testing program, NHRA will evaluate rule changes and determine whether to return to 1,320 feet or stay at 1,000 feet in the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories. There is no timetable, but a change could possibly be made at any time, including during the 2009 season.
ROOKIE EXCLAMATION – Melanie Troxel knew it was just a matter of time before the gremlins that had plagued her from 
time to time exorcised themselves. Friday qualifying in Pomona proved her right as she jumped to the top of the field with a 4.105 second run at 304.25 miles per hour.
“We’re a little disappointed the season is coming to an end,” Troxel admitted. “We kind of feel we are finally getting into a stride. I think the plan is to carry that momentum over into the next season.”
Troxel credits the relentless dedication of tuners Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald as key factors in keeping the team focused despite the hardships they’ve endured along the way.
Since the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Troxel has qualified no lower than seventh with her best being fourth in Dallas and Richmond. If her provisional No. 1 holds, it will mark her second of the season.
Troxel admitted she set high standards for her rookie season in Funny Car after bringing five career Top Fuel victories to the class. She scored her first win in Bristol, Tenn., back in April and backed up the performance with her first top qualifier in Chicago.
Despite her noted success, she was never able to crack into the NHRA POWERade Top Ten standings.
“Our team has always been capable of a championship,” Troxel said. “I knew there would be a transition for me but I never expected us to struggle as we did. I would have liked to have been in the top ten.
“We still have a shot at a second national event win this weekend. It’s not the season I wanted but it’s not a terrible one either.”
GO WILK! - No offense to the yet unqualified point leader Cruz Pedregon, but Troxel is cheering for Tim Wilkerson to win the championship this weekend. Such a victory would be a major victory for the single-car teams much like the one Troxel drives for.
"Short of us winning the race, the next
thing I would like to do is be able to come against Cruz [Pedregon] and
take him out and help Tim [Wilkerson] win the championship," she said.
"Timmy's such a great guy and everyone in the pits likes him. I think
everyone was happy to see him doing so well this year and to see it
come down to the last race and there's a chance he won't win the
championship is heartbreaking.
"Tim's had the consistency to win the championship throughout the year but Cruz is on a hot streak right now.
DUNN DEAL - Jerry Toliver confirmed with CompetitionPlus.com on Friday that he will be driving in 2009 for veteran team owner Jim 
Dunn.
Toliver, of Tumecula, Ca., drove this season for Don Schumacher Racing with limited results, reaching the quarter-finals only twice. He opened the season with a promising No. 2 qualifying position but struggled in the middle portion before qualifying No. 2 in Memphis and No. 3 recently in Las Vegas, Nev.
Toliver has five career national event victories in ten national event finals during his NHRA career. Two of those victories came at Pomona.
"Jerry
is a terrific competitor who races for the same reason I do, and that's
because he loves it," said Dunn. "He's been competing a long time and
does everything he can to get the car to the end of the track in one
piece. We think a lot alike when it comes to racing the car, and
everyone on this team is looking forward to welcoming Jerry aboard for
2009."
"I've known Jim for a long time," Toliver said. "He is an icon of the
sport and someone that is respected by everyone in the pits. Working
with Jim is something I've wanted to do for a long time."
Toliver will be replacing Tony Bartone, who is leaving the team to
spend more time with his family. The well-liked Bartone, who has raced
nearly everything on four wheels, and was the 1996 Lucas Oil Alcohol
Funny Car champion, gave the Canidae Racing team one of its 2008 season
highlights when he won the Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals at Seattle on
July 20.
"I've truly enjoyed working with Jim Dunn and the entire CANIDAE Pet
Foods team and wish them nothing but success next year," Bartone said.
"We've had a great run here, and a lot of good times and Jerry's going
to do a terrific job in the car."
TODD A REALIST – J.R. Todd would love nothing more than to keep his No. 1 spot in 
the Top Fuel field, but he’s a realist considering Saturday’s qualifying schedule.
“The dragsters run second on Saturday,” Todd explained. “There’s a very good likelihood they will have the cooler session to run in the evening.
“You always have to watch out for that Army car and Alan Johnson. As soon as you count them out they will come back and bite you.”
This comment comes from the only driver to defeat Schumacher dating back to July.
Todd has seen Tony Schumacher go from zero to hero too many times in Pomona for it not to be in the back of his head what they are capable of accomplishing. Schumacher is 20th after two sessions.
Todd and teammate/team owner Morgan Lucas both had mechanical issues on their lone Friday pass.
“We broke a rocker arm and when I stepped on the gas, I shook the tires,” Todd admitted. “I’m glad that happened now and not in Sunday’s eliminations. We’ve held up the No. 1 for two days, hopefully we can do it one more day.”
Todd has his eye on the top spot and to keep it might make Lucas patriarch Forrest Lucas smile.
“He hasn’t had a lot to smile about this year,” Todd said. “That’s what we planned to do, that’s the concept – hopefully they can meet in the final round.”
VANDERGRIFF PREPARING FOR TRANSITION – Unless his irons in the fire get red hot, Top Fuel driver Bob Vandergriff 
Jr., plans to compete on a limited basis in 2009 and work towards full sponsorship for 2010.
“We are still talking to a few companies and have a few things in the works,” Vandergriff said. “It’s pretty late in the year and I’m still waiting for a few answers.”
Vandergriff confirmed he should know something before the weekend is complete.
“We’ll believe it when it happens,” Vandergriff added. “We’re just going to survive for a year and wait for the economy to get better. We’ll spend a little bit of money in 2009 and come back out and hit it hard in 2010. We are doing everything we can to stay out here.”
The veteran driver isn’t lamenting the notion of running an abbreviated schedule. A short schedule might be just the rest he needs.
“After the pace we’ve maintained in the past few seasons, a short schedule might not be such a bad thing,” Vandergriff admitted.
Vandergriff confirmed he’s planning to get out of the seat eventually and put someone else in the car. His plan is to transition into the role of team owner only.
“I have some programs in the works where they are adamant about me driving,” Vandergriff said. “I may have to drive a few more years, but my end goal is to settle into the team owner role.”
Vandergriff said he’s still excited about driving, but it isn’t what motivates him the most about fuel racing.
“I love the business end of things and I have always been business oriented,” Vandergriff said. “I enjoy putting deals together and helping companies get a return on their investment. I love showing them the drag racing is a viable market for them. To me that’s always been the exciting part.
“Driving is just a portion of what we do out here. If you win all the races and don’t sell any parts for your sponsor, then you’re not going to have them around long. It’s more advantageous to be successful on the marketing side. When you do that, the racing becomes a bonus.”
Vandergriff was responsible for bringing UPS into NHRA POWERade Drag Racing during the 2006 season. He announced a month ago the major shipper wouldn’t be back in 2009 when the parties couldn’t come to terms on a contract renewal.
He admits regrets with the way the program ended.
“I’m aggravated, frustrated and disgusted in a lot of ways,” Vandergriff said. “You see something on the surface and it just doesn’t turn out to be what you see. It’s pretty disappointing in the long run to have it end the way it ended.
“It only takes one or two people in the equation to ruin the whole experience. UPS has 400,000 employees and I’ve never had a bad experience with them, up until the last year. You can have great ones but it only takes one bad one to ruin it for everyone. Unfortunately we found that one.”
THE TOP LINE – Jason Line leapfrogged Dave Connolly by .002 to score the provisional top spot in Pro Stock during Friday 
qualifying.
If his 6.658 elapsed time holds, this will be his third No. 1 qualifier of 2008.
“The run didn’t feel all that great,” said Line, who ran a 6.640 on Thursday. “We just tweaked from our first run and we have always struggled with the right lane in Pomona.”
MAINTAINING, AND THEN SOME – Eddie Krawiec didn’t pick up a lot during Friday’s lone Pro Stock Motorcycle session, but the .004 he did was more than enough to keep him happy for the second day in a row. One day remains in qualifying, and Krawiec is perched proudly atop the 16-bike field.
“I’m just trying to take it one run at a time and our main focus is to get through qualifying and stay on top,” Krawiec said. “That’s going to be important for us going into Sunday. I don’t have to improve a whole lot as much as I just need to keep pace.”
“We went out there in conditions should have been a couple of hundredths and we actually ran a little bit quicker. I know we left a little on the table yesterday and for us to go out there and ran the way we did is a real confidence builder.”
PROUD MOMENT - Morgan Lucas was smiling Thursday afternoon. Surprisingly the smile hadn’t worn off a day later.
The Morgan Lucas Racing cars were still one and two after qualifying ended on Friday.
“I’m very proud of the guys out here for what we’ve done,” Lucas told CompetitionPlus.com. “This is my dream for the whole team to have the two cars running one and two. Nothing would make me happier than to see both cars go to the finals, I really wouldn’t give a damn who won the thing as long as both cars are there and both cars run well. That’s been my dream for this team all along.
“If you look at it incrementally, they were almost clones going down the track. The cars are there and it’s close, and it’s starting to show that the teamwork is really paying off.”
This time last season Lucas announced J.R. Todd as his new teammate, replacing a departing Melanie Troxel at the wheel of his second dragster. Outside of Todd’s upset of the seemingly unstoppable Tony Schumacher in the finals of the NHRA Fallnationals (Dallas) earlier this season, they haven’t had much to cheer about.
Thursday’s effort went a long way to healing some wounds and Lucas credits the efforts of tuners Jimmy Walsh and Jon Stewart for bringing this apparent turnaround to pass.
“Jimmy did a lot of work these past couple of weeks trying to find some things that may or may not have been wrong and different from his tune ups in the past,” Lucas admitted. “He found some stuff, now we just have to find the consistency. Who knows what could come out of it, we may be winners…we may or we may not. Bottom line is it’s going to feel good to go up to the starting line feeling like you have a thoroughbred underneath you instead of a pony. I think Jimmy’s been working very hard pulling his hair out to try and figure out what’s going on.
Lucas feels that if his tuners put he and Todd close enough to the competition they can make a race out of it on Sunday.
“It’s like we said, we don’t want to come out here and run 3.92’s and 3.98’s all day, we want to come out here and run 3.82 to 3.88 all day and be a team that is competitive and can win with the Alan Johnson’s and Tony Schumacher’s,” Lucas added.
ONE MORE DAY TO GO - Defending series Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. moved to within one day of securing his 
fifth world title and fourth in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock category. All Coughlin needs to do is qualify this weekend and the title is his alone. Currently, at the midway point of qualifying, he's a comfortable ninth in the field with a 6.678 at 206.95 mph.
"We were testing some things today and got a little too aggressive," Coughlin said of Friday's aborted Round 2 pass. "The car wasn't real happy and made a move to the wall so I clicked it off. There's certainly no reason to do anything goofy at this point.
"We're going to change everything back to the Las Vegas set-up from two weeks ago. We were No. 1 qualifier there and won the race so it's a tried and true combination. Even though we've got the title in our grasp, we'd still like to end the season with another win, so we'll get after it tomorrow and try to move up the ladder."
Temperatures soared in the San Gabriel Valley, keeping most of the top cars in check. However, the day ended with a new provisional qualifying leader in Jason Line, who posted a 6.658 at 208.39 mph, two hundredths of a second ahead of Coughlin.
"I think we're in for a very interesting race day because the dynamic has shifted a bit," Coughlin said. "There's a sense among all of the other racers that there's nothing to lose so everyone is just going all out and trying things. Teams want to finish as high as they can in the points so it's getting crazy. It's going to be fun.
"In our camp, all the gang is coming in to end the year with a bang. Lot's of my buddies from back home are flying over. My Dad and step-mom Sue are here, which is so special for me. Dad has been such a great tool for this race team to use and he's a big part of this, without question.
"I know Victor Cagnazzi, our team owner, has a big group as well. It'll be nice to get through with qualifying, get the championship sealed up, and then just have some fun Sunday and try to win a drag race. That's the plan."
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THURSDAY NOTEBOOK - THE WINDS OF CHANGE OR THE RUMORED WINDS OF CHANGE, MORGAN LUCAS RACING’S ONE-TWO PUNCH
RAIDERS OF THE NEXT SEASON – Call it reorganization should the speculation comes to pass.
Sources indicate the departing crew on the U.S. Army Top Fuel team will be replaced with members of the FRAM Top Fuel team thus putting in place a vicious circle of raiding where member of at least one DSR Funny Car team will replace the repositioned dragster crew members.
Confused?
Cory McClenathan isn’t. He’s been around drag racing long enough to know that nothing lasts forever.
Multiple sources indicate his new tuners will be a combination of Phil Shuler (Jerry Toliver) and Todd Okuhara (Gary Scelzi). Mike Green is said to be Schumacher’s new tuner.
“I’ll have the same sponsors,” McClenathan mused, discussing the speculation. “I can tell you that for sure. You know how the rumor mill is, things change, people change. I guess I’m used to change so whatever happens won’t affect me as much as it probably would someone else.”
McClenathan refuses to be distracted whil he has a reasonable opportunity to overtake Hillary Will for third place in the standings.
The veteran doesn’t seem to be a fan of change, but added he will accept whatever transpires and make the best of the situation.
“I haven’t changed in my opinion that you grow strong in keeping the same personnel and you build as you go on,” McClenathan continued. “The Army team has proven that. Would I like to see my team stay exactly the same? You bet I would.
“Will that happen? That decision is not up to me. I’m pretty much ready for whatever happens. We’ll act accordingly. Until the word comes down from Don … the crew will do what they are told to do. It’s a different role of playing just driver because you don’t have a lot of say-so in the personnel around you.
“We’ll keep the communications open and as long as we keep that line open between myself, the sponsors and the owners, we’ll be fine. That’s something I lacked in the past teams I’ve been with.”
Regardless of which scenario transpires, McClenathan feels the FRAM team will adapt and fare well.
“If any of those were to happen, we are still familiar with one another,” McClenathan added. “When you change people it changes the procedures. If we do make significant changes, I’ve made it known that we need to start testing as early as possible and be ready for the new season.”
McClenathan believes his team won’t be the only one experiencing change. With that said, he feels the playing field will more level than many will expect.
“I would like to be prepared for the transition,” McClenathan said. “I’d like to get a head start on the deal. A lot of things are still up in the air outside of our team, Alan Johnson hasn’t even selected a driver yet, but I can tell you one thing, it isn’t me.”
Don Schumacher, who was away from the track much of the day, undergoing a root canal – declined to comment on the rumors.
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ – J.R. Todd loves Pomona, he just prefers to stay away from Los Angeles.
Todd, driver for Morgan Lucas Racing, isn’t much for the fast-pace of the big city but the fast pace of the Fairplex suits him just fine. There’s a good reason for that.
He seems to do well at the NHRA’s closest home track and his provisional low qualifying effort in Top Fuel on Thursday confirmed that.
Todd led a one-two punch from teammate Morgan Lucas with a 3.851 elapsed time at 308.41 miles per hour. The former NHRA rookie of the year admitted his car drifted out of the groove a bit on the top end and that left a little performance on the table.
“As a kid growing up in Indiana, I dreamed of coming out here and living but after two or three trips out here a year, forget that,” Todd admitted, smiling. “It is fun to race here. The weather is great and the fans are awesome.”
It’s just the traffic he can do without.
“I’ll stay home with the farms and cows,” Todd added with a smile.
If his run holds, this will be his first pole position of the season and the third of his career.
RIGHT POSITION, WRONG SCENARIO – Eddie Krawiec rode his way to the top spot in 
Pro Stock Motorcycle because he knew that is what he needed to do in order to remain in the running for the 2008 NHRA world championship. The second rider on the Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson team is in the midst of a four-way battle for the crown.
He’s been figuring the points and at 19 points behind, knew he couldn’t afford to fall one point further behind. Krawiec believed if he lost one point to Smith and fell twenty points behind, if he made up the deficit and the championship came down to a tie, he noted Smith overall season round wins outnumbered his and with that said, the incumbent champion would win the tiebreaker.
Krawiec was correct in his thought process that Smith did have the edge in round wins dating back to the start of the season. He was incorrect in thinking it had a play in the championship tiebreaker.
According the Michael Padian, lead publicist for the NHRA Countdown to the Championship public relations, Krawiec holds the tiebreaker with more round wins in the last six races.
“That’s a pretty good thing and changes my outlook on all of this,” Krawiec said when told of the correct scenario. “My whole outlook coming into the weekend was to avoid the tie; it’s good to know that I have an upper hand on a tiebreaker.
“I guess this is one time I don’t mind being publicly corrected.”
THAT’LL WORK - Nothing says Rookie of the Year like a No. 1 qualifying shot. Just ask Mike Neff, the former crew chief turned 
John Force Racing driver.
“That was a very important run. To get down the track and get in there solid is our game plan. We want to get all four of our Mustangs in the top 4 or 5 spots so we wouldn’t have to race each other until the semis. There are three runs left but that was pretty solid and I expect that will stay in the top twelve,” said Neff.
“We need (teammate) Robert (Hight) to get up there. Hopefully get right up there with us or even in front of us. He is our shot for the championship. We have to be up there to so we can take some of these other guys out. It was important and it feels good. It relieves a lot of the stress. You aren’t sweating it out tomorrow and Saturday. It was a big run and John Medlen did a great job with that tune-up.”
HELPING THE CAUSE - All Jeg Coughlin Jr. needs to do to secure his fourth POWERade championship is qualify for this weekend's 44th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals. He took a big step in that direction Thursday by running a safe 6.678 at 206.95 mph in his JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt to earn the eighth spot in the provisional field.
"We didn't want to do anything silly and get behind," Coughlin said, "especially this weekend. We've got a great car here, obviously, with us coming off a win in Las Vegas, and we all know what needs to be done. That was a good, but not great, start.
"Our goal was actually to be in the top five but it was extremely violent down low. I almost aborted the run. Then I grabbed second gear and it smoothed out enough to continue. When they told me we had a 6.67 on the radio I actually chuckled. It probably shouldn't have been that good. I guess this car runs good even when things aren't perfect.”
SEE YA TONY – Tony Bartone is in his final weekend as the driver of Jim Dunn’s nitro flopper. This weekend could be his last 
as a nitro Funny Car racer, and possibly nitro altogether.
Bartone plans to race next season, but on a smaller scale and in his old Top Alcohol Funny Car stomping grounds.
“I’m gonna get back some time and spend it with my family,” said Bartone, a 28-time winner in the Top Alcohol ranks. “You can run about eight or ten races less than on the professional series. That’s the game plan for right now.”
So he’s gunning for Frank Manzo? Maybe, maybe not, he responds.
“Why not?” Bartone asked. “Frankie and I have raced against one another for many years and we are friends.”
Bartone is clearly grateful for the opportunity the Dunn family provided him, an opportunity which yielded his one and only national event victory in Seattle, Wa., earlier this season.
“I am thankful for the opportunity they provided,” Bartone said. “I just want to slow down. I want to see my kids grow up and my one son is eight years old. I don’t get to spend a lot of time with him and there were times I didn’t get to see him for weeks on end. Besides the racing, I am involved in other businesses. I’m not always at home in Florida and that makes it tough.
“Maybe someday I will come back to nitro racing if the deal is right. I’m happy with this. I will still be racing.”
CAN’T KEEP HIM AWAY – Yes, Bob Glidden was walking around in Larry Morgan’s pit area in Pomona.
Yes, Morgan was very happy about it.
“I love him like a dad,” Morgan admitted, about their peculiar relationship which has had more break-ups and reunites than rocker Tommy Lee and wife Pamela Anderson.
“He’s more than welcome to be here. I’ve even told him I’d get him a car if he wanted it,” Morgan added.
Glidden smiled. The ten-time Pro Stock world champion is grabbing life’s gusto after a recent pacemaker replacement surgery has him feeling better than ever.
So invigorated is the elder statesman that he’s racing an Outlaw 10.5 doorslammer next weekend at the Pacific Street Car Association event in Las Vegas.
“We just had to get him out of Indiana for a while,” Morgan said.
“I’ve known Larry for a while and when I had my surgery and they rolled me into the recovery room, I looked over and he was waiting there for me,” Glidden said. “He was the first person I saw. I was really glad to see him.”
Glidden added there’s a very good chance that he’ll be racing more in 2009, likely in the Outlaw 10.5 ranks with son Billy who recently scored the ADRL Extreme Outlaw 10.5 world championship.
“I love racing all of these cars,” Glidden admitted. “I’m feeling really good.”
FEELING THE PINCH – Larry Morgan didn’t feel any affects of the recent Mopar pullback and with good reason, he never had 
any support to lose.
Morgan, who drives the Lucas Oil-sponsored Pro Stock, said he hopes to return in 2008 with the same sponsorship intact.
The combination of a demanding 24-race schedule and freewheeling expense increases have racers such as the veteran Morgan feeling the pinch of staying above the survival Mason-Dixon Line.
“There’s too many races,” Morgan said. “I know you can’t make everyone happy, but I don’t see how they can expect for us to keep coming out here when we don’t get enough to do it.
“I think they are paying attention to world markets and economy because it has to affect them as well as well as it does us because they have a road show too. I often wonder where this is going. I’m just keeping my nose clean and doing what I have to do.”
THE GIRLS ARE DOING FINE - As the 44th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals begin today Brittany and Courtney Force will be wrapping up their first season behind the wheel of the Jerry Darien tuned A/Fuel dragster. The youngest daughters of 14-time Funny Car champion John Force have continued to learn as they have become more comfortable with each pass. As they both look back on the season they know that they have enjoyed their time in the cockpit but they both know they have much to learn.
“I think (this season) has gone pretty good. Brittany and I started the season trading off in one car and then at the US Nationals we started racing two dragsters. We are just getting a lot of practice and we are learning a lot about these cars. We both have gone past first round. We have established what we want to do. I didn’t set any high goals for myself for my first year but going past first round was enough for me,” said 20-year old Courtney Force.
22-year old Brittany Force looked at this season as one of change stepping up in classification and intensity.
“(This season) has definitely been different and we have had to make a lot of adjustments to get used to the A Fuel Dragster. The cars are completely different when you compare Super Comp to A/Fuel Dragster. I feel like we have made good progress over the year. I am comfortable in the A/Fuel dragster now. When I first began the car was so new, there was so much to learn, and I always get butterflies but it is so much more comfortable now. We didn’t get to race the dragsters as much as we did in Super Comp but I think that has helped us focus and take our time. It has been a good year,” said Brittany.
As they wrap up the season both racers know that they will continue to learn and they each have very good teachers in older sister Ashley Force and brother-in-law Robert Hight. Hight took time last weekend to help out with the dragsters at the Las Vegas Divisional which was much appreciated but both drivers.
“It is so nice of Robert to help us. We always appreciate him coming out to help out on our cars. I know that is not the one thing he really wants to be doing but then again those guys are so dedicated to being at the races every weekend they can’t get themselves away from it. I think it is always fun having our family out there,” added Courtney.
Hight was joined at the track by teammates Ashley Force as well as John and Laurie Force giving Brittany and Courtney an all-star family support team. They know that their professionally experienced family members will always be there to help them but they lean on each other just as much.
“It is always nice to have someone right there with you. We travel together. It is just fun having her there because we can help each other out. We ask each other for advice. We are both going through the same process so we know how each other feels. We have made about the same amount of runs,” concluded Brittany.
THE ARTFUL DODGER - Robert Hight was thrilled to have his first qualifying run behind him and to be in a solid position 
heading into the weekend. Hight knows that a race can be totally derailed by a poor opening session performance.
“I am almost positive 4.12 will stay in so that gives us some room. If we screw up tomorrow it will not be the end of the world. It would really have hurt us if would have screwed up today. I think today was perfect. I am happy with how today went,” said Hight.
“I don’t think we could have had a better start. If would have tried to run harder we would have smoked the tires and then we would have been playing catch up all weekend. It was a nice conservative run. It doesn’t get any better than that. It is a perfect way to start and we are ahead of the guys we need to be ahead of. We get to watch them run tomorrow. They will be running before us which buys us some time since Funny Cars are running second tomorrow. It gives the sun a chance to go down some more and cool off a little more. We are in a position now where we can be more aggressive tomorrow. I think if it gets cool enough we could run an .08 or .07 tomorrow even.”
GREMLINED - Chris Rivas knew the moment the engine in the G2 Motorsports Buell fired up Thursday that his first qualifying run might not be a good one. He was correct.
A leak in the intake system combined with an electrical glitch that prevented the motor from reaching a competitive speed and Rivas rode it to the end at just 26 mph.
"The intake leak was compounded by the electrical-system problem," explained team crew chief George Smith. "It prevented the engine from performing at its full potential. We will fix it and have the new combination ready for Friday's next qualifying run."
Two more runs Saturday wrap up qualifying for Rivas, who came into this event in third place, just 39 points out of the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle lead.
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